Refillable lipstick container



Jan. 19, 1960 5. J. CLARK ETAL REFILLABLE LIPSTICK CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2.

Filed May 31, 1957 FIG.

FIG. 4.

INVENTORS STEPHEN d. CLARK LO QIS 15 A9625 ATTORNEY$ Jan. '19, 1960 5. J. CLARK ETAL 2,921,675

REFILLABLE LIPSTICK CONTAINER Filed May 31, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6.

I a E v i I 5 i :4 v *i 42 l l I I i i i .50 /4 i i J" l Z/ 1 i f S I g s i I 4/ 43 I H 214 45 9 44 1m 7 5 f lm /4' 5 5w: 40 1 ill! FIG. 9 42 i H1 42 i 4/ 7 $1? u -f- .1 f l i 1 g 5! if "I; :1 I l 1 I I I l 'T l I J :l 1 I I 1 I 57 i I I M if O INVENTORS I /6 STEPHEN u. CLARA I Lag/5156545 .J 7' A Y-$4M? W ATTORNEY United rates Patent REFHLLABLE LWSTICK CONTAINER Stephen J. Clark, Cheshire, and Louis E. Isele, Oakville,

Conn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The International Silver Company, Meriden, Conn., 21 corporation of Connecticut Application May 31, 1957, Serial No. 662,754

1 Claim. (Cl. 206-56) This invention relates to cosmetic or the like containers and in particular to those containers in which a carrier for cosmetic substance, or the like, is propelled upon relative rotation of two parts of the container.

In containers of the character indicated, it has always been a problem to load cosmetic substance into the carrier without smearing the cosmetic substance on the hands or around the container. It is particularly messy if the customer is expected to change lipstick shades in the same container, and to avoid this difliculty, it has been customary for the user to have separate lipstick containers with separate shades of cosmetics.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved cosmetic container of the character indicated.

It is another object to provide an improved cosmetic container in which the changing of lipsticks in the same container is a very simple matter which may be performed without mess.

It is a further object to meet the above objects with a construction in which a unitary loaded cosmetic carrier may be readily removed from and inserted into a cosmetic container of conventional appearance, and in which there may never be any need for the user to grasp the cosmetic substance directly.

A still further object is to provide a snap-ejection action for the carrier of a container of the character indicated.

It is also a specific object to provide, for particular application to a lipstick container in which lipstick is removably insertable at the open end thereof, a simple lipstick-cartridge assembly, fully sealed by a removable and disposable closure cap, the seal being broken and the said cap being removable upon assembly of the said cartridge to the open end of the container.

Another object is to provide a lipstick-cartridge assembly meeting the above specific object and having means positively engaging or forming part of the containerpropulsion mechanism so that, by applying the cartridge to a container in which the propulsion mechanism is at the up or extended position, and by thereafter manipulating said container to retract the cartridge lipstick, the disposable closure cap may be either manually removed or removed automatically, as by interference with the open-end rim of the container while the loaded lipstick is being retracted therein.

Other objects and various further features of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, preferred forms of the invention:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged view in elevation of a container according to the invention, with certain parts broken away and shown in longitudinal section;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on a reduced scale showing the upper end of the container of Fig. 1, with the parts in a difierent relationship to illustrate either insertion or removal of a loaded cosmetic carrier;

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Fig. 3 is an enlarged, partly broken-away, fragmentary top view, as seen from the aspect 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken in the plane 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a part of an alternative container;

Fig. 6 is a partly broken-away view in elevation, showing a lipstick-cartridge assembly of the invention, ready for direct loading into the open end of a container, such as the container of Fig. 1 when in the position shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a partly broken-away perspective view of the disposable closure cap for the cartridge of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the cartridge of Fig. 6 just after insertion into the container, and revealing how the disposable closure cap is automatically removed as the propulsion mechanism is actuated in the retracting direction;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing an alternative arrangement just after the lipstick cartridge has been loaded into the container but before any actuated retraction of the lipstick; and

Fig. 10 is a simplified view in elevation to show the relation of parts for a modification of Fig. 9.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates application to cosmetic containers of the variety in which diverging cam slots in two relatively rotatable tubular members serve as the propulsion means for a carrier contained within the tubular members. The container may be closed at one end and open at the other, and, in accordance with the invention, both cam slots are open at the open end of the container, so that the loaded carrier may be bodily inserted and removed through the open end of the container when the open ends of the cam slots are in register. Novel means are provided for locating the parts so as to readily accept an inserted container; means are also provided whereby inadvertent ejection of the loaded container may be avoided and yet whereby the carrier may be ejected with a snap action, when desired.

As an important feature of the invention, the container generally outlined above lends itself particularly to reception of a carrier-cup-and-lipstick assembly fully encased by a disposable closure cap which is removably attached to and carried by the outer periphery of the carrier cup. The closure cap may be so formed as to have sealing engagement with the rim of the cup so that the lipstick contained therein may be sealed against loss of volatile ingredients, as when carrying retail stock over a substantial period of time or when stored over a period of time at the home of the user of the lipstick. The closure cap may be of transparent plastic 50 that inspection of loaded carriers of various shades may be made at the retail store without handling the lipstick itself.

In accordance with an important feature of the invention, the assembly of loaded carrier with closure cap is fully engageable with the propulsion mechanism of the container before removal of the closure cap. Upon downward propulsion of the carrier (once inserted), the closure cap is automatically removed. In like manner, on full propulsion of the carrier cup (with lipstick) to the open end of the container, and upon application of the closure cap over the carrier cup, a means is provided for safe removal of the lipstick and carrier, and at the same time developing a suitable sealing closure for the lipsticks protection, all without soiling the hands.

The broad idea of a combined loaded lipstick carrier and closure cap is applicable to a variety of forms of lipstick container, including those in which the carrier cup is itself integrated into the propulsion mechanism. In another form, the loaded carrier cup may be engaged with other forms of propulsion mechanism, such as a push-up type propulsion mechanism. In still another form, a conventional-type lipstick container including a carrier cup may be designed to receive the carrier cup of the loaded inserted assembly, thus providing a cup within a cup.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the invention is shown in application to a container comprising an inner tubular member and an outer tubular member 11 having diverging cam slots 1213 for the longitudinal propulsion of a carrier 14 within the members 10-11. Cam-follower means 15, such as an eyelet drifted out of the body of the carrier 14, is shown riding the two cam slots 1213. The cam 12 may be a straight slot in the inner tubular member 10, and the cam 13 may be a spiral slot in the outer tubular member 11. A sleeve member or barrel 16 encases the outer tubular member 11 and is locked against rotation with respect thereto so as in effect to be formed with and to carry the same. The inner tubular member 10 may be formed integrally with an actuating base, but in the form shown, a separate base member 17 is press-fitted on an enlarged cylindrical portion 18 at the lower end of the inner tubular member 10. The shoulder or step 19 between the main body of the inner tubular member 10 and the cylindrical portion 18 serves as an end bearing to locate the outer tubular member 11 and the barrel 16. Location at the open end of the container is achieved by means of a circumferential bead 20 formed near the rim of the inner tubular member 10. For appearances sake, the upper edge 21 of the barrel 16 is formed inwardly so as to overlap part of the inner tubular member 10. Finally, a closure cap is suggested by phantom outline 22, for selectively closing the open end of the container, said cap being frictionally fitted, if desired, to a hub portion 23 of the base 17.

In accordance with the invention, both cam slots 1213 are open at the open end of the container so that, when the open ends of both cam slots are in register, the loaded carrier 14 may be inserted or removed without obstruction; a limited portion of edge 21 is cut away at the open end of slot 13, as suggested at 21' in Fig. 3, to permit insertion of the cam-follower 15. Preferably, abutment means are provided to locate the angular relation of the tubular members in which both slots 1213 are in register, and, since the tubular members will have rotated in the direction of propelling the carrier 14 (in order to achieve this position of registering open slots), the abutment means is preferably of the variety which engages only to stop rotation in the propelling direction.

In Fig. 4, the abutment means is shown to comprise a spring tongue 25 formed out of the material of the inner tubular member 10 and normally bent outwardly so as to frictionally ride the inner surface or wall of the outer tubular member 11. An approach to the position at which the open ends of the slots 12-13 are in register, the lug 25 rides off the inner wall of the outer tubular member 11 into an opening 26 therein; and at the location for which the open ends of the slots 1213 are in register, the lug 25 directly strikes the far edge 26 of the opening 26, thus defining a positive stop to locate the angular position at which a clear path is presented for axial insertion of the carrier and cam-follower.

Fig. 2 best illustrates the relation of the parts when the abutment means 2526 is engaged. In Fig. 2, the loaded carrier 14 happens to have been removed from the container; however, the inserted cam-follower position (i.e. when the carrier 14 is first inserted) is shown in dashed outline For the arrangement of parts shown, the spiral slot 13 propels with its lower edge, and this edge is cut away to define a step or notch 27 at the open end of the slot 13. This means that, when the parts have been rotated to propel the carrier toward the open end of the container, there will be a point beyond which determined propulsion will not further propel the carrier, no matter how hard the relatively rotatable parts are driven with respect to each other. Upon. inserting a carrier 14, with the cam-follower 15 resting in the notch 27, the cam follower 15 is positioned beneath the leading edge 28 of the slot 13, so that upon retracting relative rotation of the parts, said leading edge 28 can immediately engage the cam follower 15 and, in cooperation with the cam slot 12, effect clean and positive retraction of the loaded carrier. It will be noted that notch 27 is so located with respect to the rim 21, and that follower 15 is so axially located with respect to the rim of carrier 14, that when resting in notch 27, the substantial upper part of carrier 14 is exposed for manual grasping.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, resilient latch means is provided, cooperating between two movable parts of the assembly to determine a normal upper limit of carrier propulsion, and also to provide a snap-ejection action for the carrier. The latch means is, therefore, preferably effective just prior to the position in which the open ends of the propulsion slots are in register. The latch means may coact between the carrier and the inner tubular member or between the two tubular members, but in the form shown, the latch means involves coaction between both cam slots and the cam-follower means 15. The latch means is shown as an elongated tongue 29 having an enlargement or projection 30 extending to partially close off the straight slot 12 of the inner tubular member 10, Said projection 30 is formed to normally intercept the follower 15, as shown in Fig. 1, thus providing the feel of having propelled the lipstick to the top limit of its travel. When it is desired to eject the carrier 14, the parts 1617 are grasped and driven more strongly than usual in order to drive the follower 15 past the latch 30.

The latch 30 is formed with an outwardly flaring or camming surface 31, extending upwardly and away from the most restricted part of the cam slot 12. Whenever the parts 10-11 are rotated in the propelling direction, and once the follower 15 rides past the high point of latch 30, the cam surface 31 is effective to snap the follower (and therefore the carrier 14) out the open end of the container; snap-ejection action is attributable not only to the cam surface 31, but also to the fact that tongue 29 will have been resiliently displaced while follower 15.

rides latch 30, thus stifily resiliently preloading the cam action and developing an axially outwardly directed ejection force on the carrier. When a loaded carrier is being drawn into the assembly, as from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1, the latch 30 will be gently cammed inwardly, and relatively little resistance will be noticed in manually actuating the parts past the latch position. Preferably, the resistance encountered in riding past the latch 30 when drawing a new carrier 14 into the container is less than that encountered when driving the carrier up to its normal upper limit of travel; thus, the lower sloping wall of the latch projection 39 preferably is relatively steeply formed, as shown.

In the arrangement of Fig. 5', I show that the inner tubular member 10 may be formed not only to provide the latch action described in connection with Figs. 1 to 4, whereby loaded carriers may be readily removably accommodated, but also to provide a down-latch function, as in the manner described in Hopgood Patent No. 2,545,848. The down latch in such case is shown at 32, formed in a manner similar to that described in connection with the latch 30, so that when the carrier is fully retracted, latch 32 provides snap-action detent retention of the carrier for safety purposes.

As indicated generally above, the described general type of lipstick container, wherein a carrier cup is ejectable (preferably with snap action) out the open end of the container, lends itself particularly to a novel type of loaded carrier-cup-and-closure-cap assembly. One form of such assembly is depicted in Figs. 7 and 8. In this arrangement, the carrier cup 14 is of a somewhat elongated variety, and may be provided with a circumferential inwardly beaded portion 40 to locate the bottom of an inserted piece of lipstick 41. A tubular closure cap 42, which may be of transparent plastic material, has an open end adapted to frictionally engage the loaded end of the carrier cup 14'. For this purpose, the bore 43 of the cap 42 is counterbored at '44 near the open end thereof, and develops a frictional engagement with one of the overlapping surfaces. The counterbore 44 and carrier cup 14' may be provided with interengaging friction-nib means; in the form shown, longitudinal ridges, as at 45, are inwardly formed on the counterbore 44 at a plurality of angularly spaced locations. Preferably, the ridges 45 are tapered to a maximum clearance at the open end of the container, and to a minimum inner radial dimension at the bottom of the counterbore; preferably also, the minimum radial extent of the ridge 45 (at the bottom of the counterbore 44) is greater than that of the bore 43, so that when the cup 14 is inserted fully into the closure cap 42, a circumferentially continuous sealing engagement is developed through axial abutment of the rim 46 of the cup 14' with the shoulder 47 at the bottom of the counterbore 44. As indicated generally above, the cup 14' is somewhat elongated; this permits the lower end 48 of the cup 14 to project substantially beyond the lower end of the inserted closure cap 42 so that the carrier cam follower 49 may project substantially beyond the closure cap 42.

In Fig. 8, the preferred location of the cam follower 49 will be seen to permit full insertion of the carrier cup into the open end of the cam slots 1213 when positioned as shown in Fig. 2. Such positioning in Fig. 8 will allow the cam follower 49 to be inserted past the latch member 30, so that upon such insertion, and before the open end of the closure cap 42 can strike the rim 21 of the cosmetic container, a snap action (past latch 30) will be clearly discernible. Upon thereafter rotating the propulsion parts of the container in the direction to downwardly propel the carrier 14', the bottom of the closure cap 42 will be drawn into axial abutment with the rim 21. This instant is depicted in Fig. 8, and downward propulsion beyond the relation of parts shown in Fig. 8 will involve automatic dislodgement of the carrier cup and lipstick 41 from the closure cap 42; a small amount of such dislodgement is suggested by the axial clearance at 50 in Fig. 8.

With the arrangement described in Figs. 7 and 8, the loaded lipstick container may be retained loaded until the lipstick is fully consumed. On the other hand, the lipstick assembly as described in Fig. 6 may be one of several owned by the same owner, each one being loaded with a different shade of lipstick. Such owner, in replacing one lipstick assembly with another, need only propel the parts to the top position (the position shown in Fig. 8), and then apply the closure cap 42. Further propulsion will fully load the carrier cup and lipstick into the closure cap and force the same beyond the latch 30 until obtaining a stop against abutment 27, at which time cam slots 12--13 are aligned and open at the open end of the container. The loaded assembly of carrier cup, lipstick and closure cap may then be removed, it being noted that whether loading or unloading a given cosmetic container, the hands are never brought into contact with the lipstick.

In the arrangement of Figs. 9 and 10, the invention is shown to be applicable to a more conventional type of propelling lipstick container, wherein the carrier cup 55 (having cam follower 56) is not ejectable out the open end of the container. In such event, the inner tubular member 10 may be necked down and effectively circumferentially continuous at the upper or open end of the container, so that the straight or inner cam slot 12' will not be open or at least will not permit the cam follower 56 to be propelled out of the straight slot 12'. In Fig. 9, the carrier 55 is shown in the upper position wherein the upper end of the cam slot 12' limits further outward propulsion of the cam follower 56 and therefore of the carrier cup 55.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, an assembly as shown in Fig. 6, but without a cam follower (as at 49) may be insertably received in the more conventional carrier cup 55. For such purposes in Fig. 9, there is shown an inwardly struck snap lug or detent 57 formed out of the body of the carrier cup 65, and engageable by snap action with the groove 40 of the carrier 14 for lipstick 41. Other parts, including the closure cap 42 may be otherwise as described in connection with Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it being understood that the strength of detent-holding action at 57-40 is great enough to efiect automatic ejection of the closure cap 42 as the carrier 55 (and insert 14) are downwardly propelled.

In the arrangement of Fig. 10, the carrier cup 55, which forms part of a conventional lipstick-container assembly as otherwise described in Fig. 9, is even more completely conventional, the cam follower 56 being formed integrally out of the body of the carrier cup, and the insertable carrier 58 being adapted to snap fit within the propulsion carrier 55'. In the form shown, the propulsion carrier 55 is formed with a radially inward bead 59 and a snap-action lug or detent 60 formed out of (and therefore carried by) the lipstick carrier 58 is engageable by snap action with the bead 59. In view of the radially inward nature of the bead 59, the lower projecting part of the carrier 58 is of more reduced radial dimension so as to permit full insertion within the carrier cup 55'.

It will be noted in connection with Figs. 9 and 10 that insertion of the lipstick carrier 58 within the carrier cup 55 may be made at any relative angular relationship of the parts, and full engagement is developed upon riding past the detent engagement (57-40 and 5960). Removal of the closure cap 42 is automatic on retraction of the propulsion mechanism, as described in connection with Figs. 6 to 8.

It will be seen that a relatively simple cosmetic container construction has beendescribed, permitting extremely easy insertion and removal of loaded cosmetic carriers. At no time need one contact the cosmetic substance because the carrier itself is either directly exposed for grasping or for engagement by a suitable closure cap 42. The improvement lends itself particularly well in adaptation to conventional swivel-type propulsion lipstick containers, although, as indicated generally above, it is also applicable to push-up containers. When the closure cap 42 is made transparent, the invention has even greater utility because it affords a new method of merchandising a loaded carrier-and-closure-cap assembly; prospective customers may always inspect any loaded carrier for shade of cosmetic substance, and yet never soil or spoil the substance.

While the invention has been described in detail for the preferred forms shown, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the claim which follows.

We claim:

In a cosmetic container, a tubular housing having an open end for the propulsion of a lipstick normally contained within said container, and a lipstick carrier-cupand-closure-cap assembly, said assembly comprising a tubular cup having a lipstick or the like projecting out one axial end thereof, and a closure cap having a tubular open end frictionally engaged to the outer surface of said cup, said cup including radially projecting cam-follower means, the lower end of said cap terminating short of the lower end of said cam-follower means by a given axial extent, and the outer diameter of the lower end of said cap exceeding the minimum diameter of the open end of said container, whereby said closure cap cannot enter into said container, and rotary-propulsion cam mechanism within said container and of a size freely receiving said cam-follower means, said propulsion mechanism including a part removably engaged by resilient detent action with said cam-follower means, said part being axially spaced from said open end by an amount less than said given axial extent, whereby upon insertion of the capped cup in said open end, said cup may be forced past the resilient detent engagement of said part without removing said cap, and whereby upon subsequent retracting operation of said propulsion mechanism, said closure cap may be forcibly removed; and said propulsion cam mechanism cooperating with said cam-follower means on both axial sides of said detentaction part, whereby upon propulsion of said cup to initial engagement of said cam-follower means with said part, said cap may be engaged to said cup, so that for further propulsion of said cup past said detent engagement, said cup may be securely covered and freely removable from said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Blake Nov. 14, Hopgood Mar. 20, De Shelly Feb. 24, Sherman July 10,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 27, Great Britain May 7, Great Britain Aug. 5, France Feb. 16, Great Britain June 1,

France June 25, 

